Bottle-washing machine.



PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17. 1906.

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PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

J. SKINNER. BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED FEB-17.1905.

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when STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES SKINNER, OF UHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN F. THOMAS, OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

BOTTLE-WASHING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

Application filed February 17, 1905. Serial No. 246,098.

To all whom it warty concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES SKINNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bottle-I/Vashing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bottle-washing machines, thevobject of the invention being to provide a simple apparatus of this character for effectively and thoroughly washing bottles of different kinds and with the least possible breakage thereof.

The bottle-washing machine involves a drum arranged to carry bottles and means movable in unison with the drum for preventing the displacement of the bottles therefrom while they are being washed. The washing agent consists, preferably, of water in a tank or vat in which the drum is adapted to operate. In the present instance the means which prevents the displacement of the bottles from the drum while being washed forms part of the driving mechanism which turns said drum, although this is not essential. The bottles may be carried directly by the drum or by trays adapted to be detachably associated with said drum.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification I illustrate certain simple adaptations of the invention, which I will set forth in detail in the following description; but I do not restrict myself to the exact disclosure thus made, for certain variations may be adopted within the scope of my claims succeeding said description.

Referring to said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bottle-washing machine including my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the machine as seen from the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a face view of a bottle rack or tray. Fig. A is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail view, in sectional ele vation, of a modification. Fig. 6 is a detail view of part of a machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the different views.

The machine illustrated includes in its 1nakeup means for effecting positively the washing of bottles and which consists, preferably, of a tank or tub, as 2, in which the lower half of a skeleton drum, as 3, is adapted to operate. The means for turning the drum, which is adapted to carry at or upon its periphery bottles, will be hereinafter described. As the drum turns the bottles carried thereby will pass into, through, and then from the water in the tank or tub, the water in the tub serving to thoroughly wash or cleanse the bottles. I/Vhen the bottles leave the water, they are in position to drain, as will hereinafter be clearly understood. Any desirable means, although none is illustrated, may be utilized for supplying the necessary washing-water to the tank or tub 2 and for disposing of the dirty water.

The drum illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is of skeleton form and is shown as composed of three substantially similar wheels, each denoted by 4, connected together by tie-rods 5. The wheels are laterally separated to provide for the reception therebetween of the bottles, which are carried by trays hereinafter de scribed, and their hubs are mounted upon a shaft, as 6, extending across the upper side of and mounted in suitable bearings upon the sides of the tank. It will therefore be evident that the drum 3 is capable of turning motion.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated in detail a bottle-carrying tray or rack. The same may receive any suitable number of bottles, the one illustrated being constructed to receive sixteen bottles. The tray is illustrated as made up of a grid-like front 7, a back 8, spaced from the front, and bolts or equivalent devices, as 9, connecting the said front and back. The bodies of the bottles are adapted to be passed through the openings in the grid-like front 7, while the necks thereof are adapted to fit in apertures in the back. What might be considered the end bars of the grid-like front have lugs, as 10, of substantially hook form, adapted to engage two adjacent rods 5 when the tray is situated. between two adjacent wheels 4. From this it will be evident that each tray is adapted to be detachably mounted upon the drum.

At opposite sides of the periphery of the drum are mounted. shafts, each designated by 11, said shafts being supported by suitable bearings upon the tank and the one on the left rigidly carrying a large gear, as 12, meshing with a pinion, as 13, fixed to the powershaft 14, rotatably supported by a bracket, as 15, upon one side of the tank 2. The power-shaft 14 is illustrated as provided with two pulleys, each designated by 16, one of secure such results.

which may be tight on the shaft, while the other may be loose thereon. In connection with these pulleys a belt (not illustrated) is provided, whereby the belt is upon the tight pulley. The power-shaft 14 will be driven, so as to operate, through the intermediate gears 13 an 12, the shaft 11 on the left. The shafts 11 are illustrated as bein horizontally alined and substantially in horizontal alinement With the axis of rotation of the drum 3. Each is shown as provided with two laterally-separated sprocket-wheels 17, connected rigidly therewith in any desirable manner.

Passing around the sprocket-wheels are sprocket-chains, each denoted by 18, the inner runs of the chains being contiguous to the under side of the drum 3 for slightly less than half the circumference thereof. The chains are connected by closely-arranged slats 19, said chains and slats constituting driving means for turning the drum, so that? when the drum is turned the bottles carried thereby will be moved through the water in the tank or tub 2- for the purpose of thoroughly cleaning the bottles.

The driving means for the drum 3 is pro' vided, as will be evident, with means for preventing the separation of the bottles from the under side of the drum and while said bottles are passing through the water in the tank. The slats 19 in the present instance These slats are adapted to extend across the bottoms of the bottles and effectually prevent the bottles from be ing separated from the drum while the latter are upon the under side of the drum. I therefore provide combined driving and bottle-holding means, so that it is unnecessary to provide separate means for looking or fastening the bottles to the drum during the time they are in the water. The trays containing bottles can be readily and quickly applied to and removed from the drum. It will be evident that by the construction of the drum there are provided thereon and at the periphery a plurality of spaces, each for the reception of a tray and each space being bounded by two wheels 4 and two tie-rods 5.

In operation the trays will be applied to the drum at either side of the tank by engaging the lu s 10 with two rods 5 and between two whee s 4. Therefore as the drum rotates in the manner hereinbefore described the trays with their bottles are carried through the water, whereby the latter can effectually cleanse the bottles. When the bottles have arisen out of the water and when they have assumed an inverted vertical position, the water can drain therefrom. When the bottles have been drained, the trays carrying the same can be readily and quickly separated from the drum simply by lifting them from place. I pass the bottles sured.

I have described in detail the bottles as carried by trays which are directly supported by the drum. When the bottles are carried by the drum in such mannerthat is, through the intervention of traysthe latter will be held from displacement from the drum by the slats.

In Fig. 5 I show a slight modification wherein the bottles are directly supported by the drum. or more wheels, as 4, driven eXactly like the wheels 4, hereinbefore described. The wheels 4 may be connected by rods, as 4", so disposed as to present troughs, into which the bottles to be washed can be thrust. As the drum composed of the connected wheels 4 passes through the water in a tank like that hereinbefore described the slats 19 will prevent the bottles falling from place.

From the preceding statements it will be apparent that my machine involves a drum arranged to carry bottles and mechanism for turning the drum, provided with means for preventing the displacement of the bottles from the drum while they are being washed. I have shown two forms of embodiment of the invention, one in Figs. 1 to 4,inclusive, and the other in Fig. 5. In each of these cases there is disclosed a bottle-carrying drum. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 thebottles, while carried by the drum, are not directly supported thereby, but are supported by The drum may consist of two trays or their equivalents removably connected with the drum. In the form shown in Fig. 5, however, the bottles are directly supported by the drum.

Having thus described theinvention,what

I claim is I r 1-. A bottle-washing machine involving a drum having means to detachably support bottle-trays, and mechanism for turning the drum, provided with means for preventing the displacement of the trays during the time the bottles are being washed.

2. A bottle-washing machine involving'a drum having means to detachably support bottle-trays, a water-containing tank, in which the drum-is mounted to turn, and mechanism for turning the drum, provided with means for preventing the displacement of the trays during the time they are in the water of the tank.

3. A bottle-washing machine involving a drum composed of a plurality of laterallyseparated wheels and tie-rods joining the wheels, the wheels being adapted to receive between them trays, and the rods being adapted to support said trays, mechanism for turning the drum, provided with means for preventing the displacement of the trays during the time the bottles are being washed.

4. A bottle-washing machine involving a drum having means to carry bottles, two or more movable sprocket-chains connected together by slats partially surrounding and adapted to drive said drum, the slats connecting the chains serving to prevent the displacement of the bottles from the drum while the bottles are being washed.

5. A bottle-washing machine involving a drum arranged to carry bottles, and mechanism for turning the drum, provided with means for preventing the displacement of the bottles from the drum while they are being washed.

6. A bottle-washing machine involving a bottle-carrying drum arranged to turn and means movable in unison with the drum for preventing the displacement of bottles therefrom while being washed.

7. In a bottle-washing machine, the combination of a tank, a drum arranged to operate in the water in the tank for detachably carrying bottles, and means extending around the lower half of the drum for preventing the displacement of the bottles from the drum while being washed by the water in said tank.

8. A bottle-washing machine involving a movable bottle-carrying member, a tank, and

mechanism for operating the bottle-carrying JAMES SKINNER.

l/Vitnesses:

JAMES C. SIMs, B. F. THOMAS. 

